Metal wheel block



L. E. CAMPBELL METAL WHEEL BLOCK June 30, 1925. 1,544,372

Filed Jan. 1925 42, l 2 3144: 01, 4 Lesfer E. Cam 0&6

attoz nu Patented June 30, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LESTER E. CAMPBELL, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

METAL WHEEL BLOCK.

Application filed January l thereof.

My invention relates to wheel blocks for supporting pneumatic tiredwheels in shipping or when for any reason it is desired to so supportthe tires that the weight of the l vehicle will be so distributed as notto bear wholly upon the portion of the tire in contact with the floor orground. My invention has for its object to provide a wheel block forthis purpose which may be formed of a single strip of metal by bending,will be rigid and not to be distorted in use and will have at all pointswhich can come in contact with the tire rounded surfaces.

With these and other objects hereinafter $5 explained in view myinvention consists in the construction and combination of elementshereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a plan view of the sheet metalblank from which my wheel block is formed. Figure 2 is a view of theblock from the front or higher end, partly broken away.

Figure 3 is a view of the block from the rear or lcwer end. Figure 4 isa side view; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the block.

Figure 6 is a side view showing the blocks in place with the wheel ofthe car resting thereon.

The blank from which the wheel block is formed comprises end or legportions 1 and 2 and mid portion or tire supporting ortion 3 formingtogether a strip of s eet metal. The end portions 1 and 2 are providedwith longitudinal corrugations 4, 4. At their ends the end or legortions 1 and 2 are each cut away at an ang e of about 45 degrees andstrips 5 and 6 at the ends of the end or leg portions are turned outwardat about ri ht angles to the body parts of these emf portions to formsupporting feet. Along the edges of the body part of the end or legportions 1 and 2 narrow strips 7 and 8 are turned inward.

angles as shown at 9 and the strips 8 along ends of the mid portion 3 asto leave sub- 8, 1925. Serial No. 1,181.

These inturned strips 7 and 8 are cut away on the lines on which the endstrips are bent, the strips 7 along the longer edges of the portions 1and 2 being out at right 50 the shorter edges. being cut on the line ofthe fold as shown at 10-. The end strips are cut away on their ends nearthe strips 7 as shown at 1112 and on their ends near the strips 8 arecut away as shown at 13. At

their ends adjacent the mid portion 3 the strips 7 and 8 are cut away atangles of about 45 degrees as shown at 14 and 15, the cuts being made atsuch distances from the 7 0 stantial intermediate portions 19 and 20between the inner ends of the cuts and the adjacent end of the midportion. Strips 16 and 17 along the edges of the mid portion 3 areturned inward at right angles. These strips 16 and 17 are cut away attheir ends at right angles to the edges'of the mid portion. v The blankbeing thus cut to shape and the ends 5 and 6 turned outward (or up)and'the edge strips 7, 8 of the end portions and the edge strips 16 and17 being turned inrward (ordownward) the blank is ready to be bent toform.

The mid portion 3 is curved to the concave form shown in Figures 2, 3and 5, the edge strips 16 and 17 following the concavity and serving tohold the mid portion rigidly in shape. The strips 7 and 8 being bent atright angles to the bodies of the end portions 1 and 2 serve with thecorrnggtions 4 to maintain these end portions r1g1 On the lines joiningthe mid portion 3 and the intermediate portions 19' and 20 the metal isbent outward to a sharp angle'as shown at 21 and from these lines themetal of the intermediate portions is bent inward so as to bring theangular ends 14 and 15. of the ed e strips 7 and 8 against the under 1face of t e mid portion 3. The inwardly bent strips 7 and 8 thus serveto support the mid portion 3 and to prevent any tendency to break atthesharp bend 21. The'reverse bend of the intermediate portions 19 1 and 20brings the inner ends of the end portions 7 and 8 directly beneath theedges of the mid portion 3.

In the completed wheel block the side portions 1 and 2 flare outward attheir lower ends, and the ends 5 and 6 are bent outwardly at such anglesthat they will rest evenly on the floor.

' strips 16 and 17 of the mid portion 3 are also so bent as to presentrounded surfaces unbroken.

along their upper faces. The upper concave surface of the mid portion 3is smooth and Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A' block for pneumatic tired wheels formed of a singlestrip of sheetmetal coml'e portions flarin outward. at their ower .en s provided witends outwardly away ,of t e concave mid portion.

whereof I hereunto aflix my 40 bent to form supporting feet and a midportion coneaved to receive the tire having end strips bent downward,the portion between the upper ends of the leg portion and the midportion being turned outward and lower ends provided with ends outwardly.bent to form supporting feet and a mid portion concaved toreceive'the'tire having end strips bent downward, the portion betweenthe upper-ends ofthe leg portion and the mid portion being turnedoutward andfolded inward upon itself so as to bring the upper edgesoftheleg portions beneath it,

the leg portions being provided with in-,

wardly bent strips along their ed es cut at the upper ends to fit the uner face I In testimony signature. 1 LESTER E. CAMPBELL.

